Fence-machine



(No Model.\

W. S. BARKER. FENCE MACHINE.

No. 410,482. Patented Sept. 3, 1889.

@1400 Mioz UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM SEIVARD BARKER, OF TROY, OHIO.

FENCE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,482, datedSeptember 3, 1889.

Application filed July 15, 1889- Serial No. 317,587. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that LWILLIAM SEWA RD BARK- ER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Troy, in the county of Miami and State of Ohio, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Fence-Machines; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings,making a part of this specification, and to the letters and figures ofreference marked thereon.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements infence-making machines; and it has for its object, among others, toprovide a simple and cheap fence-making machine with few parts and thoseeasily 0perated and not liable to get out of order.

The invention resides in the peculiar combinations and the construction,arrangement, and adaptation of parts, all as more fully hereinafterdescribed, shown in the drawings, and then particularly pointed out inthe appended claims.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings,which, with the letters of reference marked thereon, form a part of thisspecification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view showing asection of a fence being built by my improved machine. Fig. 2 is a sideelevation of the form of twister. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of thetension device detached. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through thetension device.

Like letters of reference indicate like parts throughout the severalviews of the drawings.

Referring now to the details of the drawings by letter, A designates asuitable post firmly fixed in the ground or a suitable support, and isheld against the tension of the fence-wires by means of the brace-wiresa. This is the starting end of the fence.

B is supposed to represent the post at the other end of the fence. It issuitably secured in the ground or other support, and is braced by meansof the bracewire b, secured at its ends to the posts or pegs b, driveninto the ground, the bight of the wire being held in a suitable notchWin the post, as shown in Fig. 1.

C is a loose or sliding post, provided with suitable staples or eyes 0,through which the fence-wires D are passed. This sliding post isdesigned to lie fiat against the post A, as shown, with the fenceviresfast thereto and embracing the said post A. Suitable means are providedto prevent vertical displacement of this sliding post. In the drawings Ihave shown a key 0 fast to one of the posts A or C and fitting in anotch in the other. This prevents displacement of the sliding post whenstrain is put on the fence-Wires. The strain on the fence-wires being indirect opposition to the braces a, the two posts are kept in theirvertical position. The keys 0 are wedge-shaped, and serve as efficientand easy means of tightening the wires when they become slack, or, bysimply withdrawing the wedges a little as the wires contract in coldweather, prevent breaking of the wires.

The ends of the fence-wires are extended a short distance beyond the endpost B, and are passed upon each side of a post or bar E, which isprovided with suitable eyes or staples e, to receive the brace-wires theends of which wires are designed to be fastened to suitable posts orother securing means in the ground or otherwise to hold the post or barin its upright position.

The ends of the wires are passed through between my tension-blocks F,the adjacent faces of which are corrugated, as shown, and may be eitherof wood or metal. They are held together by means of the clamping-boltsand nuts 9 and h, the tightening of which increases the tension on thewires. WVhen the section of fence has been constructed, the tensiondevices may be opened by loosening the nuts, the ends of the wireswithdrawn, and the tension devices are ready for use in the constructionof another section of fence.

I is a vertical bar provided with the lateral arms J, the number of armscorresponding to the number of fence-wires employed. There are threeshown in the drawings, and the central one is extended to form a handleK, by which the twister may be operated. To the outer ends of these armsare pivoted the arms L, the central one being pivoted between thebifurcations of the central arm J, as shown in Fig. 1, and held by meansof a set-screw, so that it may be prevented from turning on its pivotwhen desired. The arms L at their outer ends are provided with thesegmental heads M, formed with a series of fingers or holding-jaws N,which may be of the form shown in Fig. 1, or, as shown in Fig. 2, withsort of undercut portions to better hold the wires.

In practice the wires are engaged in the jaws of the heads, and thetwister-frame moved up and down, which causes the heads to alternatelyassume the positions shown in dotted and full lines in Fig. 2, and ateach move of the twister-frame the wires are twisted to receive and holdthe pickets. The plurality of holding-jaws on each head provides for theemployment of pickets of varying sizes.

The segmental form of the heads is of material advantage, and isconsidered of importance in the effectiveness of the twisters from thefact that the bearing of the wires is not directly upon theholding-jaws, but upon the surface of the head, thereby removing thedanger of wearing channels through the jaws and rendering them liable tobreak off, as is the case with the straight heads with holdingjaws. Theconvex outer face of the head also allows of movement of the wires inthe operation of twisting, the wires being guided by the curved surfaceof the head, and the wear is thus distributed over the surface of thehead, instead of being all in one place, thus increasing the life of thedevice.

WVhat I claim as new is v 1. The twister-frame combined with the pivotedarms and the segmental heads at the outer ends of said arms providedwith holding-j aws, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the twister-frame and the pivoted arms thereon,of the segmental heads on the outer ends of said arms, and provided witha plurality of holding-jaws extending in opposite directions from thecenter of the heads, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that Iv claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

' WILLIAM SEWARD BARKER. lVitnesses:

THOS. B. KYLE,

N. J. KRAMER.

